I Have Returned, but I Cannot Lay down My Gun

Chapter 598

"Wow, there are already so many people outside..."

"It's not just a lot, it's almost overflowing. The crowd looks packed as far as the eye can see. I suggest you don’t go out too recklessly. You could get caught in the crowd, thinking you're some celebrity."

"Well, maybe not Dice, but I don’t think people would recognize me that easily."

"I don’t think that’s true at all…"

• "Well, then why don’t you go out and try, hahaha!"
• "Dice, no way, he’s definitely not going out!"
• "Look at all those people, hahahahaha!"
• "I can already imagine the police struggling, hahaha."
• "Fact: A million people gather for the Bold Drop event every year."

Harmony is once again misjudging her own popularity.

She might have tied with Dice in the final championship last year, but does she not realize how few times she’s appeared in person on my broadcasts compared to her avatar?

Still, she seems to have some sense of caution, or perhaps she just said that for effect. Harmony didn’t seem like she was planning to leave Icarus Residence at all. No need to—she could simply turn her head slightly and see the front of the One Times Square building.

I was just glad the weather wasn’t too cold today as I was busy with something entirely different while the two of them were staring out at the view.

‘Looks like the system is working fine...’

I sunk deep into a couch with a hole in the back and connected to the Icarus Gear, remotely controlling the device assigned to me in that world.

It was simple. I only had to imagine an avatar, so there was no need for WASD controls. It wasn’t really a virtual reality connection, but it was close enough.

Anyway, the reason I was doing this was not that important.

• "Ah, ah… Can you hear me, junior? You arrived just in time for the connection. It might be hard to speak, so let’s communicate using sign language for now."
• "…"
• "Good. Looks like there are no issues with the body. I can update you on the situation from time to time, and if you want, you can tap into the Times Square camera covering the Bold Drop event."

I decided to take a look now.

While they were distracted outside, I quickly switched the camera and began quietly observing the Times Square of that other world. It was around noon in that world, but unlike this world's Times Square, which was already packed with people, there were almost none there.

It felt almost like I was watching a hidden camera. That couldn’t be helped. The population of the United States was barely 50 million, scattered across the vast country. And most of them were in major cities like New York, Philadelphia, Washington D.C., Boston, Miami, and Houston.

The population of New York was about a million, and even then, not all of them would attend the Bold Drop event. Only about one-eighth of them would come, maybe around 100,000 people.

But just as I was worried, Loren Tina’s voice came through.

• "No need to worry. A lot of people will show up by evening."

• [Got it. I think I can access it too. See you later.]

• "Alright. Take a rest before you come."

She added that with a wave of her hand, then I ended the connection.

It had only been about five minutes since I last spoke to them, so Dice and Harmony were still staring out the window. I sat next to them, looking out at Times Square myself.

To prevent congestion, fences were set up in various places. The central square of Times Square, Father Duffy Square, was already packed with people, and 7th Avenue and West 46th Street were becoming so congested that no car could pass.

Right below us was the stage for tonight's superstar performances. It felt strange to think that a year had already passed since last year’s event.

But more importantly...

‘...I swear, when I glanced at Times Square earlier, it looked like something other than a stage was set up...’

I activated the contact lenses and reconnected.

Times Square, where hardly any people walked, was eerily empty, except for a lonely platform. On it was a table with a microphone, with the presidential seal in the center, surrounded by the words "President of the United States."

I immediately realized what it meant. Instead of a performance, Henry was coming to give a speech.

I wasn’t particularly interested in the performance happening in this world, but I was more curious about what Henry from that world would say. I figured I might as well listen to his speech during the boring wait time.

As I thought about it, a voice came from behind.

"Wouldn’t it be fun if Mecha Eugene performed on that stage?"

"You're saying weird things again. Would you like to go up instead?"

"Ugh, Mina and I are terrible at dancing! No way!"

• "Then why did you even suggest it, hahahahaha!"
• "Apart from games, you’re all useless! Hahahaha."
• "Honest opinion: If Mecha Eugene did a strength show on that stage, I could watch it for 12 hours."
• "??: I’ll bend the H-beams used for building the structure with just my fists from now on."
• "When did Mecha Eugene say that, hahaha!"

Why are they assuming they’re going up there?

But considering everything I’ve shown them so far, I guess it’s not that surprising that they believe it. That’s probably why I just laughed it off instead of responding. I thought that maybe, in the future, Mecha Biyam or a remote-controlled humanoid could be put on such a stage.

Well, that’s a problem for the future. I shifted my gaze to another direction, and the screens mounted on the wall were showing Dark Zone advertisements instead of short ones. The advertisements on the screens in Times Square, crowded with people, featured an operator racing through a deserted New York.

It was a dark, twisted piece of black humor.

By the way, usually by this time, at least one of my manifested friends would be around showing off their majestic presence, but today, none of them were in sight.

I looked around, and as expected, I had overslept today. I hadn’t been awake for long, and I was planning to have a late lunch.

The gist was, I didn’t know where the polar bear, shark, or owl had gone. Mina and Yerin didn’t seem to care much about it, so they must have said something before leaving. In that case, it was my turn to ask.

So, I asked, "By the way, where did everyone else go?"

"You’re asking really quickly… I mean, they all went for a walk."

"A walk? Outside looks like that?"

"I heard they were going to get some cheerleading pom-poms and hats... well..."

• "?????????????????"
• "No way, hahaha!"
• "Seriously, Biyam friends aren't all there, hahaha!"
• "Honest opinion: They probably left knowing."
• "Looks like Loren Tina was excited and dragged the others out, hahaha!"

Are they out of their minds?

No, actually, at this point, it makes perfect sense. Loren Tina must have scratched the desire of the polar bear and owl, who tried to act rational, deep down.

And one more thing.

Manifested beings were the ones who always embodied the saying "Speak of the devil..."

• Click!

"...Of course."

"I knew you’d go out, huh… What’s going on!?"

"Your spoils, you bastards."

Three manifested beings, looking completely disheveled but surprisingly refreshed, entered the room, throwing several hats onto the bed. The number matched the people visiting New York today.

They continued, "They usually hand these out around 8 PM, but I got them early. Use them if you're bored later. You can take them home afterward."

"I’m pretty sure they’ll end up buried somewhere at home later…"

"Well, if you think that way, why would people bother making them? Anyway, take them."

• "Cool guy!"
• "Logan’s image with the snow is hilarious, hahaha!"
• "Fact: That’s not his image."
• "This is too funny, hahahaha."
• "Look at how they look all disheveled, hahaha."

With that, I had a hat in my hand. Though it was a little unexpected, the preparations for the last day of the year were suddenly complete.

Later, I’d leave the leftovers for the Mecha youngest ones.

It seemed like it would be a fulfilling day.

"Mr. President, it's time."

"...Already? Let’s go."

"...I know it might be a foolish remark, but wouldn’t it be better to take the car instead?"

"Do you think I'm some old man who can’t walk? It’s only about 2 kilometers. I’m not going to complain. Let’s walk briskly to make it in time."

12:00 PM, December 31st, Central Park HQ, Gray House.

The wind had stopped, and only small snowflakes were falling. Two figures walked out of the Gray House, crossing the HQ without interference.

Dressed in neatly tailored suits, with shining leather shoes, and a cane that could be transformed into a weapon or shield in an emergency, they walked with a strong stride that defied their early 70s appearance. Although in reality, thanks to Icarus Gear, they appeared to be in their 20s.

"Still a long way to go. Let’s talk as we walk… are you from New York?"

"No, I’m from Philadelphia. I made a name for myself cracking down on Kensington’s drug distribution. I’ve lived quite a rough life."

"Lobbying pharmaceutical companies must have been quite tough. I bet you’ve seen a lot of awful things."

"Well, yes. Never thought I’d end up like this, though."

"Still a long way to go. Let’s talk as we walk… are you from New York?"

"No, I’m from Philadelphia. I made a name for myself cracking down on Kensington’s drug distribution. I’ve lived quite a rough life."

"Lobbying pharmaceutical companies must have been quite tough. I bet you’ve seen a lot of awful things."

"Well, yes. Never thought I’d end up like this, though."

The faint crunching sound of the thin layer of snow beneath their footsteps echoed as the two looked around, exhaling lightly. The white mist briefly lingered in the air before it melted away. The abandoned cars had long been removed, and only a few buildings had their lights on.

He sighed and added, "Do you think New York will ever regain its former vibrancy before I die?"

"You’ll still live for a long time. After all, the concept of a lifespan has lost its meaning now…"

"That’s exactly why I’m saying this. Even if I live well past 100, I don’t want to watch America wallow in this abyss."

The assistant fell silent, the words hitting too close to home. Humanity’s lifespan had significantly increased, but could their fragile minds continue to bear witnessing such a desolate world? Knowing that the end of the war marked a new beginning, the question became even more poignant.

But their conversation didn’t continue.

A brilliant light flashed from across the way, marking the end of the blackout as the crowd began to form, people gathered under the watch of the dozens of police-humanoids replacing their human counterparts. The energy of the crowd was palpable, reaching them as the heat from the mass of bodies hit their own.

"You think we should call the friends in stealth mode for closer protection and have them join us in the crowd?"

"I’m afraid that’s impossible, sir."

"Damn, I know. But if we keep making them work even until the end of the year, we’re bound to get some flak."

"Well, there are no longer any unions supporting the Democratic Party's AFL, right?"

"...I’m going mad."

Having spoken his mind, Henry let out a self-deprecating laugh, and not long after, the two of them pressed on, threading their way through the sea of people. It wasn’t just them walking through the crowd—it was more like a massive crowd racing toward the one remaining President of the United States. But there was no incident, as the people gathered here were able to distinguish the construction workers from the others.

The Icarus Gear shield, provided by the assistant, was enough to clear the way for them.

"Ha ha, it’s nice to see you all. I’m truly touched that you all made it here on such a cold day."

"I thought you’d be riding in a car, but this is unexpected."

"I came to meet all of you in person. Of course, I also wanted to show you that we’ve returned to a world where it’s safe enough to walk around freely."

He shook hands with the people several times, whether it was part of his prepared speech or not. He was a skilled politician who could seize benefits and win people’s favor with his words more than anyone else.

As time passed, it felt as if they were witnessing the Bold Drop event from a bygone era, where there were no worries or concerns. The pink smoke began to lightly cover the sky.

After shaking hands until his hand ached, Henry added, "Alright, the New Year’s right around the corner. I’ll stop the personal talk here. You’ll hear the rest of it in my speech. Be sure to wear something warm."

"Mr. President!"

"President! Over here! Over here!"

The words continued, but no one interrupted.

The metal barricades that had been set up in advance now appeared before Henry, and nearby, a number of police-humanoids were on standby, prepared for any potential emergencies.

After a leisurely walk of 2 kilometers, the time was about 11:40 PM. Henry looked around with a smile on his face, realizing his earlier assumption about there being no people around had been wrong. At least tonight, Times Square had returned to the past as it was six years ago.

The area was packed, with thousands of chairs tightly arranged for the people sitting, and tens of thousands more standing behind them. Times Square and the blocks beyond were all filled with people.

Could this be witnessed again? The only certainty was that it would be possible starting this year, and the next.

Click.

A speech prompt popped up in front of him, and as soon as he tapped the microphone, a faint sound wave emanated from the speakers attached to the building walls. The lenses in his eyes visualized the range of the soundwaves.

Surrounding him were numerous government officials and many of the operators who had helped keep America alive. However, among them were four UES and a remote-controlled humanoid that looked identical to Eugene, still unfamiliar in appearance.

But he already knew the story. The remote control was being operated by the Eugene from the other world, and he had been briefed on this fact beforehand.

And then, after some time passed, he spoke.

"Before we begin, I ask for a moment of silence for all the US soldiers who couldn’t attend and have not been able to rest in peace. For those who died for freedom and our country, for the lives lost to tragic disasters—let’s honor their memory with a moment of silence."

"What’s this? Eugene, are you crying?"

"No, I just kept my eyes open for too long. They’re a bit dry."

"I guess that makes sense. Let me lower the humidity."

Meanwhile, somewhere in the other world, a single tear ran down Eugene's face.

The last speech of 2036 had begun.